Button and fastener feeding mechanism for button-attaching machines.



r. L. HARMON. BUTTON AND FASTENER FEEDING MECHANISM FORBUTTON ATTACHING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 4.19l5.

Patented Oct. 22, I918,

3 SHEETS-:SHEEI l.

F- L. HARMON.

BUTTON AND FASTENER FEEDING MECHANISM FOR BUTTON ATTACHING MACHINES. APPLICATlON FILED MAR.4. x915.

1,282,226,, Patented Oct. 22, 1918,

3 SHEETS-SHEEI 2.

F. L. HARMON.

BUTTON AND FASTENER FEEDING MECHANISM FOR BUUON ATTACHING MACHINE S.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 4. I915.

Patented Oct. 22, 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3 -of these articles, or the FRANK LESLIE HABMON, or BEVERLY, MASSACHUSETTS, nss enon, BY MEsNn ASSIGNMENTS, 'I'O UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF PATEBSOK, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

BUTTON AND FABTENER FEEDING MECHANISM FOR BUTTON-ATTAOH I NG MACHINES.

This. invention, in its more particular aspect, relates to button attaching machines of the type in which buttons are secured to stock material such, for example, as the but ton flies of boots and shoes, by means of metallic fasteners such as staples or the like, and particularly to the button and fastener feeding mechanism of such machines. It will be apparent, however, fromJa consideration of the construction and mode of oper ation of the illustrative mechanism that, as far as many of the features of the invention are concerned, it is immaterial what may be the ultimate use or purpose of the fasteners or the buttons or the'form or construction particular type of machine in which the feeding mechanism is employed.

Features of the invention are to be recognized in a novel construction and arrangement of mechanism for conveying the buttons, fasteners, or the like from the sources of supply, this mechanism including, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, conveyers mounted for independent I rotation about a common axis and means for rotating the respective conveyers intermittently andin time relation to'carry the articles'from their respective hoppers and deliver them to suitable raceways. Novel features reside also in the construction of the conveying means and in the means for controlling the delivery of'the respective articles to their raceways.

The invention provides also novel means I for delivering intermittently into a raceway an air blast to assist the movement of the buttons or the like therethrough and remove from the raceway any foreign matter that may lodge therein.

Further novel features of the invention Specification of Letters Patent.

button or fastener Patented not. as, rare.

'- n ncati n filed March a, 1915. serial No. 1am.

reside in the form and construction of the raceways whereby the .respective'articles are conducted fromthe conveyors into proper position for attachment to the work. The raceway particularly intended for buttons is formed to facilitate the passage therethrough of buttons having heads of different sizes. At its delivery end this raceway is provided also with yielding elements which serve to some extent to support the buttons and to facilitate their removal from the raceway as well as the forward movement of the remaining articles when one is removed. This arrangement preferably ineludes two springs, one beneath the heads a and the other beneath the eyes of a plurality of buttons, and a suitable stop cooperating with the springs to confine the buttons in the raceway. These springs yield, as for example in the illustrative machine under the impulse of a fastener driving member, so as to provide an outlet for the end button from the raceway and permit its removal upon the feeding movement of the work. The movement of the springs serves to displace or agitate somewhat one or more of the buttons or other articles near the end of the raceway so as to obviate any tendency for them to stick in the raceway, and when the springs are released, on the removal of the end button, the springs again agitate the buttons and by reason of the preferably curved form of the end'portion of the raceway and the springs, the .latter impel the articles toward the end of the raceway.

The raceway for the fasteners presents novelty in the provision for movement of its end portion to release the fasteners. In the preferred construction the end port on of the raceway is. pivoted to the remaining portion and in the machine illustrated is fastener to pass 'between the end of the raceway and the plate.

A further feature of the invention resides in a novel form of staple raceway having upon its top an upstanding portion extend naeaeae ing longitudinally of the racewayend substantially rectangular in cross section to enter recesses in the staple heads, and havingat each side of the upstanding portion asubstantially plane face to underlie the side portions of the staple heads which connect the recessed portion with the legs. This raceway is particularly adapted for use with the novel form of button attaching staple shown, which has upon its head an upstanding portion whereby a substantially rectangular recess is formed in the lower side of the head, the recessed portion being connected at either side with the adjacent leg of the staple by a substantially straight portion which forms a shoulder on the staple, this staple forming the subject matter of a separate application, Serial No. 8349M, filed April 28, 191%. As thus constructed, the raceway serves to guide the staples effectively to the point of use and prevents them from tipping or sticking in the raceway in such manner as to obstruct the supply.

The above and other features of the in-, vention, including certain details of construction and combinations of parts, will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims. I

The mechanism illustrated is designed particularly to serve as a portion of a button attaching machine which forms the subject matter of a co-pending application, Serial No. 12,142, filed March 4:, 1915, only such portions of the general organization of the machine being illustrated and described herein as are necessary to an understanding of the features of this invention. it should be understood, however, that the mechanism is not limited to use with machines of this particular type nor to the precise features and details of construction shown, and that various embodiments of the invention are comprehended within the spirit and scope of the claims.

Tn the drawings,

Figure l is a view inside elevation showing the general features of construction of the button attaching machine above referred to and the relation of the mechanism'of this invention to other portions of the machine,

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the upper portion-of the machine on line 22 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 shows in perspective, with the outer casings removed, the fastener and button conveying mechanism and portions of the raceways,

Fig. i is a view in transverse section of the button raceway,

Fig. 5 illustrates the construction of the delivery end portions of the raceways and the manner of presenting button and a fastener in position for attachment to the work, A

Fig. 6 is a vertical section through the mechanism adjacent to the path of movement of the driving member, and

Fig. 7 is a section at right angles to Fig. 6 showing the parts in their positions at the end of'a fastener setting operation and illus trating the manner in which the button is released from the button raceway.

in its general features the machine illustrated in Fig. 1 comprises an anvil 2 mounted upon a slide 4 to which is pivoted at 6 a lever 8 carrying a staple driving member 10. The machine receives its operative movements from a belt pulley 12 mounted loosely upon a shaft l supported for rotation in bearings formed in upright extensions of the base 16. it will be understood that the pulley is to be operatively connect ed with the shaft by a suitable treadle-actuated clutch, preferably a Horton clutch, which is maintained normally in position to permit the pulley to rotate idly on the shaft, and that actuation of the clutch by means of the treadle causes the machine to operate during each complete revolution of the shaft 1% to attach a button to the work and advance the work into position for the next button attaching operation, the machine continuing to operate in this manner as long as the treadle is depressed. The details of the operating mechanism are not described herein since they form no part of the present invention but are fullv disclosed in the copending application hereinbefore referred to. lt'will be sufiicient for an understanding of the present invention to state that the lever 8, which is shown in its idle position in Fig. 1, is swung by its operating means'so as to cause downward movement of the driving member 19, whereby a staple is taken from the end of the staple raceway and advanced through the eye of a button at the end of the button raceway and into the stock, the legs of the staple being clenched'upon the anvil 2 in the manner shown in Fig. 7. The slide a is then moved toward the left from the position shown in Fig. 1, thereby imparting to the anvil and the driving member a movement to feed the work into position for the next button attaching operation. At the end of this movement the lever 8 is swung upwardly and the slide 4: is moved back to carry the anvil and the driving member to the starting po- 4 sition shown in Fig. 1.

Connected with the pulley 12 by a belt 18 is a pulley 2O keyed to a shaft 22 from which rotation is imparted to the conveyors for transferring the buttons and the staples from their hoppers to the respective raceways. Secured to the opposite end of the shaft 22 is a crank disk 2% provided with an adjustable crank pin 26 from which is operated a pit-man 28 connected pivotally to a block 30 nhich has a circular bearing por- 13D tion mounted rotatably upon a sleeve member 32 keyed in turn to a second sleeve member 34 which has a bearing in the side of the staple receptacle or hopper 36 and complementary recess in the side of the rotatable butt-on conveyer 46. The shaft 44 is rotatable independently of the sleeve 34, and the means for operating this'shaft includes a pawl and ratchet mechanism comprising a ratchet wheel 48 keyed-to the shaft and a spring held pawl 50 carried by a block 52 similar to the block 30 and having pivotally connected thereto a link 54 which is slotted to provide a slidew'ay for a block 56 pivotally mounted upon a block 58 secured to, the pitman 28. With this arrangement,

each forward throw of the pitman will serve to impart movement first to the staple conveyer 38, and subsequently, whenthe block 56 arrives at the end of the slideway in the link 54, to both the conveyers 38 and 46 together, bringing them simultaneously into position to deliver their articles to the respective racew ays. The lost motion connection between the pitman 28 and the link 54 is provided for the reason that the number of staple carrying arms on the conveyer 38 is less than that of the button receiving recesses in the conveyer 46, as shown in Fig. 3, and for the same reason the number of ratchet teeth 42is proportionately less than the number of teeth on the wheel 48. Similarly, reverse movement of the pitman 28 serves to retract first the block 30 and then simultaneously therewith the block 52, so as to bring the respective pawls into position to engage the teeth next in order in the series. In order to prevent overrunning of the two conveyers, the sleeve 32 is formed with a friction wheel 60, and the shaft 44 is provided with a similar wheel 62, these wheels turning in frictional contact respectively with spring pressed friction blocks 64 and 66; and in order to prevent overthrow of the pawl carrying block 52, the circular bearing portion thereof is in frictional engagement with a spring pressed friction member 68..

The buttons are held in a receptable or hopper 70, the bottom of which is connected with an auxiliary receptacle 72 formed at one side with a circular opening in which is mounted the button conveyer wheel 46. The

outer end face'of this wheel is fiat and pro-' the receptacle, and the inner end portion'is I of reduced diameter and formed wlth a conical peripheral surface converging toward the receptacle and providing seats for the button heads, the wheel having slots .76 for the reception of the button eyes. The walls of the receptacle about the periphery of the button wheel presentan inclosing surface inclined in substantially parallel relation to the conical surface of the wheel, and the bottom of the recepta'cleslopes toward the wheel so as to direct the buttons thereto. In operation, the buttons will find their way into the space between the reduced portion of the wheel and the surrounding wall with their eyes in the slots 76, the wall serving to confine the heads closely and thereby retain the buttons with their eyes in the slots. In order to prevent the buttons fromslipping off the conveyer as they are advanced toward the upper portion of their path of movement, a guard 78 is located in position to serve as a retainer for the button heads.

:From the above description it will be evident that if it is desired to use buttons provided with headsthat are larger than usual, the conveyer 46 should be adjusted farther toward the left than shown in Fig.2, so as to provide a larger space for the reception of the heads between the periphery of the wheel and the surrounding wall. Such adjustment is provided for through the mounting of the conveyer 46 for rotation upon a reduced portion of a spindle 80 which is supported for endwise adjustment in a bearing'in the side of the receptacle 72 and has a head 82 by means of-which such adjustment may be readily effected. A set screw 84 serves to retain the spindle in adjusted position. The shaft 44 is pressed endwise toward the wheel 46 by a spring 86, and has secured upon its other end a head 88 which serves to limit such endwise movement of the shaft and provides also means by which the shaft may be manipulated to adjust its squared end in proper relation to the recess in the wheel 46. When the set screw 84 is loosened the spring 86 will thus,automatically adjust the parts-in the positions represented in Fig. 2. If it is desired, however, to

provide more clearance for the buttons about i of the arms of the conveyer 38, and slide 'inwardly along the forward edge of each arm alone until they arrive substantially at delivering position op'positeto the end of the staple raceway-94, and are there out back, as indicated at 96, to permit the staples to pass. This arrangement serves not only to delay the passage of the staples to the outer ends of the arms, but also to remove from the arms staples that are improperly positioned thereon, since the recesses 96 areformed to permit the passage of only such staples as are in proper position to enter the raceway.

Upon the same side of the conveyor 46 as the receptacle 72- is the receiving end of the button raceway, this raceway comprising two opposite side portions 98 and 100 which are provided respectively with a slot 102 for the button eyesand a groove 10% for the heads of sulhcient width to receive heads of difierent sizes. The slot 102, as shown clearly in Fig. 4c, is of suficient width to permit buttons having heads of difierent diameters to pass through the raceway with,- out any tendency for the eyes to bindupon the sides of the slot through the tipping of the button when buttons either larger or smaller than usual are in use, while preventing theeyes from turning over in the raceway. The raceway is slotted laterally, as indicated at 106, opposite to the delivery point of the conveyor to receive the button eyes and it is suitably curved to deflect the button immediately, as it is delivered from the wheel, into a horizontal position with its eye in the slot 102 and its head in the groove 10%. Above the slot 106 and the receiving end of the raceway is a guide 108 which serves to direct the course. or" the button as it slides into the raceway and prevent it from falling over into the receptacle. This guide is pivotally suspended, so that if a button should fail to enter the raceway properly or the raceway should become filled with buttons, the guide may yield to permit the button to be pushed over the raceway and into the receptacle by the following button. in order to dislodge from the wheel any button that may be carried past the slot 106, the machine is provided with a bar 119 which extends obliquely over the sloping peripheral portion of the wheel and acts as a deflector to remove the button from the wheel and return it to the receptacle incense In order to insure the advance of the but tons along the raceway and to remove from the raceway any foreign matter that may become lodged therein, the mace is provided with means for directing blasts of air into the raceway, comprising a conduit 112 leading from an air pump lit the piston of which is driven by a pitman 116 from a crank on the pulley 20.. The air pump is operated in timed relation. to the button conveyor wheel and is arranged, as will be evident from an inspection of the drawings, to force a blast of air into the receiving end of the raceway immediately after the admission of a button thereto. The air blast will thus assist and hasten the movement of the button along the raceway until it contacts with the upper end button of the series, and it thereshould be any tendency for any oi: the buttons of the series to stick in the raceway,

the air blast will assist in closing the interrearwardly to a position in which the button eye is over the anvil member 2 and in line with one-leg of a staplewhich is held at the 7 end of the staple raceway in position be advanced and driven by the staple driving v1 driving member, and its eye projects on the other side of the plate in staple receiving position. i

The fixedbutton supporting portions of the button raceway terminate at some distance from the end of the raceway, and their places are supplied by springs 126 and 128 which are secured respectively to the side members 98 and 100 and are curved downwardly and rearwardly in position to support respectively the eyes and the heads of two or more 033 the end buttons. The end of the spring 126 rests normally in contact with the stop 122 so as to close the racewa and the spring 128 is spaced a suficient distance below the spring 126 to provide for the reception of button heads of diffierent diameters, and therefore may or may not contact with the heads when the buttons are at rest at the end or" the raceway. As the button is engaged by the staple and depremed by the driving member for attachment to the work,

member 10. The position of the end button is determined by a stop 122 which is a" the spring 128 at the side of the anvil2 and ts from the stop 122 so as to permit the button to leave the raceway upon the subsequent feeding movement or the work. This depression of the springs has also the important function of displacing or agitating the button or buttons directly at the rear of the end button, thereby obviating any tenddency for the buttons to stick and fail to advance to the end of the raceway; and when the end button is withdrawn and the springs snap back into position, the buttons supported by the springs are similarly aftected, but in a more positive manner. By reason, moreover, of the curved form of the springs, their sudden return to position has the efiect of throwing the buttons toward the end of the raceway and of bringing the end lztliugton positively into contact with the stop 2 The staple raceway 94, the upper edge of which is shaped, to conform to the contour of the staples, includes a cover or retainer 130 above the staples, and is curved to bring its end face in close relation to the plate 124 so that-the end staple will contact with and be stopped by the plate without falling through the space between the plate and the end of the raceway. Tn this position the staple is in the path of the driver 10 with one of its legs inline with the eye of the button which is in contact with the stop 122.

Tn order to permit the driver to pass between the plate 124 and the end of the raceway, theend portion of the latter, including the cover 130, is pivotally connected with the main portion, as indicated at 132, and is held by a spring 134 in its normal staple retaining position. As the driver descends the end portion of the raceway therefore will yield laterally to permit the advance of the staple and the driver as indicated in Fig. 6.

Below the end of the staple raceway is a guide member 136, the upper edge of which is curved at points below the legs of the staple, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 6. This memberserves, in coiiperation with the plate 124, to guide the staple as it passes below the end of the raceway, and retain it in position to enter the button eye and the work in proper relation to the clenching face of the anvil. One leg of the staple is further guided by means of a plate 138 which fits about the member 136 and projects at one side substantially across the spacebetween this member and the plate 124. The plate 138 is made of spring metal, and its edge adjacent to the plate 124 is suitably beveled or curved to permit the driving member 10, upon its lateral feeding movement which will be subsequently described, to move the plate in a direction away from the guide member 124 and pass out from between this member andthe guide plate 138.

- It will be noted, particularly by reference to Fig. 7, that the staple raceway has upon sponding to the distance between the legs of a staple, and presents at either side of the upstanding portion a substantially plane face 97 to underlie and preferably be engaged by the portions of the staple heads at the sides of the central recessed portion. In

practice the dimensions of the raceway will be slightly less than the corresponding dimensions of the staple so that the staples may move readily along the raceway. The construction of the raceway above described insures that the staples shall be guided effectively to the point of use without tipping or sticking in the raceway in such manner as to obstruct the supply.

The general features of operation of the machine of which the illustrated feed mechanism is intended to form a part have already been briefly described. Assuming that the machine is in continuous operation to attach a plurality of buttons through the continued depression of the starting trcadle, the staple and button conveying wheels 38 and 46 will be rotated intermittently from the pitman 28, the rotation of the button wheel 46 taking place during the latter portion of each period of movement of the staple wheel 38 and the two wheels arriving at the on d of their movement simultaneously in position to deliver respectively a staple or staples to the raceway 94 and a button to the button raceway through the slot 106. The

plates 92 at the sides of the staple wheel serve to prevent the staples from passing to the outer end of each arm of the wheel until the arm is substantially in position to deliver its staples to the raceway, at which time the cutaway portions 96 of the plates permit the staples to pass. The plates also serve to remove from the arms staples which may be improperly positioned thereon. The buttons'assume positions upon the button conveyor wheel as represented in Fig. 2, with the eyes in the slots 76 and the heads seated upon the sloping peripheral portion of the wheel. The buttons are directed toward the wheel by the slopingbottom porend of the raceway where the eye enters the slot 102 and the head enters the slot 104. The guide member 108, positioned over the path of movement of the bottom, assists in guiding the button into the raceway. If the raceway should be full of buttons, or if for any other reason a button should fail to enterproperly, the button will return readily to the receptacle 7 2 over the upper end portion of the raceway which is suitably curved, with this purpose in view, as shown n Fig. 8. To permit such return of the button the guide 108 is tipped upwardly about its horiliver a blast of air into the raceway, preferably directly after the admission of each button to the raceway. p

Arrived at the delivery end of the staple raceway, the end staple of the series is held suspended between the vertical guide .plate 12% and the pivoted end of the raceway which is held by the spring 134 in such relation to the guide plate as to prevent the staple from falling. in this position the staple is in the path of movement of the driving member 10, and one leg of the staple is in line with the eye of the end button of the button raceway which is in contact with the stop 122 and is supported by the spring 126. When the driving member descends its recessed end portion fits over the head of the staple in substantially close relation to all portions of the head and with'the projections 121 at opposite sides of the upstanding portion of the head, and forcing back slightly the end portion of the staple raceway, the driving member advances the staple between the guide 136 and the plate 12% and finally, in cooperation with the anvil 2, sets the staple in the manner shown in Fig. 7. in this operation one of the projections 121 enters the button eye, and in the final stage of the movement of the driving member the springs 126 and 128 are depressed, opening a passageway for the button between the spring 126 and the stop 122. After the staple has been set the driver 10 and the anvil are moved toward the left, as the parts are viewed in Figs. 1 and 5, to

feed the work, thereby withdrawing the at tached button entirely from the raceway and permitting the springs to snap back into position. The depression of the springs. as already pointed out herein, serves to agi tate some of the buttons-at the rear of the end button, thereby obviating any tendency for them to stick and fail to advance to the end of the raceway; and when the springs ineeaaao snap back into position they tend to impel the buttons which they support toward the end of the raceway, thereby bringing the end button positively into contact with the stop 122. As the driving member 10 moves laterally to feed the work and to withdraw the attached button from its raceway in' the manner'above described, it slides also from between the guide plate 124 and the end of the staple raceway, which is, immediately swung by the spring 134 to its limit of movement with its end at a slight distance from the guide plate, thereby catching the succeeding staple and retaining it in position for the next setting operation.

Although the invention is disclosed as embodied in mechanism having the precise details of construction shown and described, it should be understood that the invention is' not thus limited in its application but is susceptible of other embodiments within the spirit and scope of the claims. it should be understood also that the terms fastener" and button in the claims are to be construed broadly for the purpose of giving efiect to my invention to claim all the pro-' tection to which I am entitled for the various novel features of the invention.

Having described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure'by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a machine of the class described, a rotatable button transferring device and a rotatable fastener transferring device, means'for imparting rotation intermittently to the fastener transferring device, and means for rotating the button transferring device during a portion only of each period of movement of the fastener transferring device.

2. ln a machine of the class described, a button transferring wheel and a fastener transferring wheel, said button wheel being formed to deliver buttons in a greater number of radial planes than the fastener wheel, means for imparting rotation intermittently to the fastener wheel, and means for rotating the buttonwheel during the latter portion of each period of movement of the fastener wheel to bring said wheels simultaneously into delivering position.

8. lure machine of the class described, a rotatable button transferring device and a rotatable fastener transferring device, means for imparting rotation intermittently to the fastener transferring device, and a lost motion connection between said means and the button transferring device for effecting movement of the latter during a .portion only of the period of movement of the former.

i. in a machine of the class described, a rotatable button transferring device and a rotatable fastener transferring device, said devices being concentrically mounted, means for imparting movement intermittentl to the fastener transferring device including a clutch and a pitman clutch, a clutch for. the button transferring device, and a lost motion connection between the latterclutch and said pitman.

5. In a machine of the class described, a button transferring wheel, means for supplying the buttons to the wheel arranged to cause the buttons to enter the wheel from one end, and a raceway to which the buttons are delivered, said raceway having its receiving end located at the same end of the wheel as the button supplying means and over said means to causebuttons that fail to enter the raceway to be returned to the source of supply.

6. In a machine of the class described, a button transferrin wheel having recesses or receiving the uttons, means for supplying the buttons to the wheel arranged to one end of the wheel,

cause thebuttons to enter said recesses from one end of the wheel, and the buttons are delivered said raceway having its cated at the same end of the wheel as the buttons supplying means to cause the buttons to enter the raceway through reverse movement out of said recesses.

In a machine of the class described, a button transferring wheel of substantially frusto-conical shane arranged to turn about a substantially horizontal axis and provided with button receiving seats upon the curved surface which are inclined convergently toward the smaller base, means for supplying buttons to the seats upon the wheel at the smaller base, and means for receiving the buttons from smaller base, allow the buttons to leave the wheel in a direction angularly related to the plane of said smaller base;

8. In a machine of button transferring wheel having slots for from said recesses, receiving end 10- receiving the button eyes".and seats for the.

button heads inclined convergently toward means/for supplying buttons to the wheel at the end toward which said seats converge, and means forreceiving the buttons from the wheel'located at the same end of the wheel as the button supplying means to cause the buttons to enter the receiving meanstthrough reverse movement from said inclined seats.

9. In a machine of the class described, a button transferring wheel formed with a conical peripheral surface, portion having slots for receiving the button eyes, means for supplying buttons to the wheel at the end of smaller diameter, and means for receiving buttons from the wheel located at the same end of the wheel as said button supplying means.

10. ,In a machine of the class described, a

for operating the a raceway to which the wheel, also located at the constructed and arranged to the class described; a

said peripheral button supplying receptacle having a circular recess in one side thereof, a button transferring wheel having one end portion formed to close said recess, said wheel having button receiving seats inclined convergently toward the other end of the wheel and arranged to receive buttons from said receptacle, means for confining the buttons upon said seats during a portion of the r0 tation of the wheel, and means for receiving the buttons from said seats located at the same end of the wheel as the button supplying means.

11. In a machine of the class described, a

button supplying receptacle, a button transferring wheel in the-receptacle, said wheel having a circular end portion and a portion of reduced diameter having a conical periphery converging toward the other end of the wheel and formed with slots to receive the button eyes, a raceway for receiving the buttons from the wheel having a receiving end located at the end of the wheel toward which said peripheral surface converges, and means for confining the buttons upon said peripheral surface during a portion of the rotation of the wheel.

12. In a machine of the-class described, a button transferring wheel having means to receive and position a button, and means cooperating with said wheel to retain the button in position thereon, said means and the Wheel being relatively adjustable for buttons of different sizes.

13. In a machine of the class described, a

button transferring wheel having a portion formed with a conical periphery providing seats for the buttons, and a wall about the periphery of the wheel presenting a surfacein substantially parallel relation to said conical portion, the wheel and the wall being relatively adjustable to vary the space therebetween for the reception of the buttons.

14. In a machine of the class described, a button transferring member, a receiver for the buttons discharged from said member, and means positioned with reference to the receiver to direct the buttons thereto from the transferring member, said means being movable to permit the escape of buttons that fail to enter the receiver. 7

15. In a machine of the class described, a button transferring wheel, a raceway provided withan entrance opening, angularly related to the length of the raceway for receiving buttons from the wheel, and a guiding cover extending over said angularly re- 7 lated entrance opening and the wheel for directing buttons from the wheel through the entrance opening into the raceway.

16. In a machine of the class described, a button transferring-wheel, a raceway for receiving buttons from the wheel, and a guide positioned over the receiving end of the racebutton receptacle, a

way for directing the buttons from the wheel into the raceway, said gu de being movable to permit the escape of buttons that fail to wheel, said raceway having the upper surton along the raceway and havin provision for ielding O Q 3 face of its button receiving portion eveled to deflect into the receptacle buttons that fail to enter the raceway.

l8. lin a machine of the class described, the combination with a raceway, of means for delivering buttons intermittently and laterally to the raceway, and means for forcing an air blast into the receiving end of the raceway adjacent to the point where the direction of movement of the button is changed, immediately after the admission of each button to the raceway, constructedand arranged to start a newly admitted butto close the intervals between the buttons therein.

19. lln a machine of the class described, a raceway for buttons or the like having a downwardly curved end portion with spring means upon its outer curved side arranged to support a plurality of the buttons near the end of the raceway and yieldable to permit the withdrawal of the end button from the raceway, said means being arranged to snap back into position when the end button is so withdrawn to impel the buttons toward the end of the raceway.

20. lln a machine of the class described, a

raceway for buttons or the like having means set in operation by the withdrawal of a button from the raceway acting automatically to impel the succeeding button toward the end of the raceway. 21. in a machine of the class described, a raceway for shoe buttons or the like constructed and arranged to support the buttons for sliding movement on their sides, said raceway having, throughout substantially its entire length, a groove of suiiicient width for the reception of button heads of" different sizes and a slot for the button eyes formed to prevent the buttons from rotating about axes transverseto the raceway while permitting buttons of difierent sizes to assume different angular positions about an axis extending longitudinally of the raceway as the buttons slide along the raceway.

22. in a machine of the class described, a button raceway having its end portion provided with a fixed stop for the button arranged across the button path and a member movement away from said stop'and laterally of the button pathfor releasing the button from the raceway.

23. in a machine of the class described, a button raceway having its end portion provided with a stop for the buttons, the raceway having a yielding support for the but tons arranged to engage beneath the eyes of a pluralityof buttons and assist in maintaining them in alinement.

2%. in a machine of the class described, a raceway for buttons having a head and an eye constructed and arranged to support a series of buttons on their sides and having its end portion provided with a pair of yielding supporting and guiding members arranged respectively to engage beneath the eye and the side of the head of a button. 7

25. in a'machine of the class described, a raceway for buttons having a head and an eye, an unyielding stop for a button, said stop being disposed in fixed relation to the end portion of the raceway, and a member for supporting the button eye cooperating normally with said stop to retain the button in the raceway and movable with reference to the stop to release the button from the raceway.

2G. in a machine of the class described, a rotatable arm formed to receive and transfer fasteners, and means provided with a slot for the passage of the arm and designed to remove from the arm fasteners which are improperly positioned thereupon.

27. in a machine of the class described, a rotatable arm formed to provide a slideway for fasteners, and a stationary bafile adjacent to said arm provided with a slot of varying width to receive said arm and arranged so that it will remove from the arm fasteners which are improperly positioned thereon and then allow the passage of properly positioned fasteners.

28. in a machine of the class described, a rotatable arm formed to provide a slideway for fasteners terminating at the outer end of the arm, and means for preventing the fass toners from passing to the outer end of the arm before the arm has reached a predetermined point in its rotation.

29. in a machine of the class described, the combination with a raceway, of a rotatable arm arranged to deliver fasteners from the outer end thereof to said raceway at a predetermined point in the rotation of said arm, and a baffle arranged to prevent the fasteners from passing to the outer end of said arm before the arm has arrived substantially at said delivery point. 1

30. in a machine of the class described, a rotatable arm formed to provide a slideway for fasteners, and a bafiie adiacent to the side of said arm for restraining the movement of the fasteners along said slideway, said battle being cut away to release said fasteners at a predetermined point in the rotation of said arm.

31. In a machine of the class described, a rotatable arm formed to provide a slideway for fasteners, and baflie plates positioned closely adjacent to the sides of the arm, said plates being recessed to permit the fasteners to pass along said slideway toward the outer end of-said arm at a predetermined point in the rotation thereo 32. In a machine of the class described, a rotatable arm having an edge portion formed to provide a slideway for staples, anda bafile plate closely adjacent to the side of said arm, said plate being cut away to permit the staples to pass to the outer end of the arm at a predetermined point in the rotation thereof.

33. In a machine of the class described, a receptacle for fasteners, a fastener transferring device rotatable in said receptacle and comprising a plurality of arms formed to pick u the fasteners from the receptacle, each 0 said arms havinga slideway to which the fasteners are delivered from another arm of the series, a raceway to which the fasteners are delivered from the ends of said arms, and means for preventing the fasteners arms ,have arrived substantially in position to deliver the-fasteners to said raceway.

34. In a machine of the class described, a raceway having an end portion movable laterally with reference to the remaining portion thereof, and resilient means for pcsitioningsaid end portion in determined relation to the remaining portion-of the raceway. I

35. In a machine of the class described, a raceway having a separate end portion, and a pivotal connection between said end ortion and the remaining portion of the raceway to permit lateral swinging movement of said end portion.

36. In a machine of the class described, a

button transferring wheel and a fastener transferring wheel, one of said wheels being formed to deliver articles in a greater number of radial planes than the other wheel, raceways for receiving the buttons and the fasteners from said wheels, and means for turning the'wheels intermittently to bring them repeatedly into position to deliver to said raceways, said means comprising an operating member and connections between said member and wheels constructed to cause one wheel to be turned farther than the other at each operative movement of said member. 37. In a machine of the class described, a button transferring wheel having series of recesses each adapted to receive a button, a fastener transferring wheel having a series of arms each adapted to receive a plurality of fasteners, said arms being fewer prising an operating in number than said recesses, raceways for receiving the buttons and the fasteners from said wheels, and means for turningsaid wheels intermittently to bring the difi'erent recesses and arms successively into position to deliver to the respective raceways, said means ommember and connections between said member and the respective wheels constructed to cause the fastener wheel to turn farther than the button wheel at each operative movement of said member.

38. In a machine of the class described a button transferring wheel a substantially horizontal axis and having recesses for the reception of the buttons, button supplying means arranged to direct buttons into said recesses from one-end of the wheel at the lower portion of the wheel, and a raceway for receiving buttons from said recesses at the upper portion of the wheel, said raceway having its receiving 'end located at the same end of the wheel as said supplying means and above said, means to cause buttons that fail to enter the raceway to be returned to the source of supply.

' 9 In a machine .of the class described, a button transferrin wheel arranged to turn about a substantialIy horizontal axis and provided with button receiving recesses and with seats for the buttonsinclined toward the axis at one end of the wheel, a receptacle having a sloping bottom portion to directbuttons into said recesses from said end of the wheel,

' and a raceway for receiving the buttons from the wheel positioned to catch the buttons as they slide reversely from said seats at the upper portion of the wheel.

In a machine of the class described, a button transferring wheel having peripheral button receiving seats inclined toward the axis at one end of the wheel, and a button receptacle having a wall inclined relatively to the axis of the wheel to cause the wall to coiiperate with said seats to retain the buttons in position, the wheel being adjustable endwise to vary the distance between said wall and seats.

arranged to turn about 41. In a machine of the class described, I

a button receptacle having an opening therein, a button transferring wheel mounted in said opening and movable endwise to adjust it with reference to for turning the wheel comprising a rotary shaft co-aXial with the wheel and mounted for endwise movement therewith, yielding means for controlling theendwise position of the shaft,'and means for moving the wheel and the shaft in opposition to said means. 42. In a machine of theclass described, a button receptacle having an opening therein a button transferrin wheel mounted in sai opening and movab e endwise to adjust it with reference to the receptacle, means for turning the wheel comprising a rotary shaft ex endmg from one side of the Wh el, yieldthe receptacle, means ing nceens for pressing the shaft endwise towerd the wheel to maintain the wheel position in seid opening, md means et e ether side of the wheel for moving the wheel and the shaft in opposition to said yield'nig means.

4:3. ln e machine of the cless described, the combination with a wheel for transferring shoe buttons or the like, 01in raceway for receiving buttons discharged irom said wheel, said raceway being constructed and arranged tocense' eech button upon its discharge from the wheel to assume e; position in which its eye projectssulostentielly horieontelly. 4

M. In a machine of the class described, it wheel for transferring shoe buttons orthe like arranged to discharge the buttons i roin a portion of the wheel above the axis, and of recewey hevine its receiving end extending in substantially parallel relation to the" wheel, the raceway being constructed and arranged to receive and support t e lonttons on their sides as they are discharged from the wheel.

d5. in a machine of the'cless described, e raceway for buttons or the like proyided with a support arranged to engage e plurality of the buttons at the delivery end oil the raceway, seidsupport being movable to egi- I tete said buttons upon-the withdrawal of the end button from the raceway.

46., In a niechine of the class recewny for lonttons or the like provided e spring extending along the hottoin oil toward its delivery end,

described, e

recewey at its delivery end in position button from the 47. in e niechinezoi the class described, e I

raceway for hnttons or the like curving downwardly in o substantially vertical plane seid raceway havthereof at its delivery end portion; and errenged to support it plnrelity of the. huttons, the springheing arranged tor yielding movement to permit the withdrawal oi'the end lontton from the recewey end for reverse movement to .ceuse of the end button,

, d8. -'ln'e inechine of mg e curved spring'extending longitudinally the buttons to he impelled towerd the .end' of the raceway 5 recewey for shoehiittons or thelike provided at its end with a, rigid; stop for the hnttons end having e spring for supporting the button adjacent toseid stop; the spring cooperating with the stop to close the raceway end bein yieldehle downwardly to release the end ntton'irom the raceway.

in testimony whereof l heve signed my name to this specifieetion in. the presenceot two subscribing witnesses FRANK LESLIE HARM UN.

Witnesses:

JAMES Nnrnson E, 

